Some Tips for Getting a Job
Useful Tips for Getting a Job in an Advertising Agency
One of the tips for getting a job in an Advertising agency is having a high level of creativity. This is because the advertising business is all about creativity and once an employee in the Ad industry starts to churn out creative output, the gains accruing to him will be phenomenal. It is advantageous to acquire a good degree in advertising from a recognized university or an advertising school.
On the other hand, since it is not every one that can achieve this, the services provided by the internet can be optimally exploited because tons of materials pertaining to advertising are available online which can be studied at home. Another tip for getting a job in an Ad agency is to garner experience from intern-ship which counts a lot. Internship provides vast exposure to the advertising industry, thus, the elementary training can be set aside for the new employee after landing a new job. It pays to go for an entry-level position which makes an employee foundation in advertising a very strong one, more so when many that have made significant progress in the industry learnt the tricks of the trade and also garnered experience by entering at the lower rung of the ladder.
A further tip for getting a job in an Ad agency is to show creativity in writing out the resume and professionalism on the part of the applicant. It is important to address your application to the Creative Director of the Ad agency but get some information about him from the company by asking the other employees before writing the letter, as this will assist in creating a good impression during the interview.
One other tip for getting a job at an Ad agency is to utilize the networks that can provide opportunities for landing a good Ad job. These can be in form of carrying out voluntary work of presentation at seminars, educational workshops and local advertising clubs etc. The idea is to present an outstanding Ad work that will attract guests to such events and any of these can be a potential employer who will get to you via your presentation.
If all the above fails, however, it is imperative for the applicant to start freelancing rather than wasting away. The approach will be to produce original Ad work and meet the Ad agencies and small businesses that probably cannot afford the price of big Ad agencies, for patronage. This can boost your job search. A graphic designer and a copy writer will have an advantage in this approach. A further tip for getting a job in an Ad agency is to start by creating specialized ads which are personal versions of an already published Ad. By slightly adjusting the already published Ad, a better result might be achieved. In case the result are not better, it still gives you the leeway in getting patronage from small local businesses.
It is advisable to start with small businesses around your residence such as the grocery store, the butchers shop, the barbers shop etc and later move on to television and radio stations which usually have vacancies for commercial writers and helping hands to develop programs. At these levels, the pay is relatively low, thus, giving room for a starter to get a job.
A vital tip for getting a job at an Ad agency is to be passionate about the work. Somewhere along the line an employer who will respect that passion and creativity and all the energy you put into the work will give you the much desired break and catapult you to greater heights.
In addition to your tips on getting a job in the Advertising Industry, I think it's important to add that there are a diverse number of other positions to choose from besides the coveted creative positions that most yearn to be a part of, such as:
Account Management – (Skills needed = you have to be a good communicator because your the day-to-day contact for the client, be able to multi-task and make sure that the campaign is running on time and under budget)
Media Planning/Media Buying – (Skills needed = good with numbers/budgets, negotiate price and cost structures with publisher's, ensure that client's ROI is being delivered by confirming the media placement ran and delivered according to IO/contract specs)
Research/Account Planning – (Skills needed = good listener, understand trends, communicate/inspire the creative department while keeping “the consumer's voice” in the equation)
Data Strategy – (Skills needed = interpret raw data, analysis, optimization, present recommendations to keep the ca)
When clients hire agencies to develop a promotion strategy based on their marketing plan ALL internal department contribute to the big picture and make those memorable campaign happen.
I am definitely in agreement that internships are definitely the way to go. Upon graduating from CSU-Fullerton, I had spent a year combined interning at the agency level and at the client level too.
Thanks for posting such a great post. Please be sure to find and follow me on Twitter (@AndreaVLewis)
Hello Andrea, thank you for dropping this rather useful comments and it all goes to show you are an expert in this Advertising. Looking forward to having you here again. I am already following your tweets.
Hello Andrea, thank you for dropping this rather useful insight and it all goes to show you are an expert in this field. Looking forward to having you here again. I am already following your tweets.